"Swamp People" Visit the Wiregrass

For 'Swamp People' fans in the Wiregrass, it was a night to remember. And for one high school organization, it was one step closer to realizing a dream.

They may have a hit series on History Channel, but their busy schedules didn't keep 'Swamp People' stars, Troy and Jacob Landry from making a stop in Ashford on Friday night.

Hayes Taylor, a young fan of the show, said it was exciting to see reality TV stars in Ashford.

"I'm from a small town, and when people come here that are on TV, that's just really a great thing," he said.

The Landrys were the special guests at a "meet, greet, and eat" fundraiser at Ashford High School. They took pictures, signed autographs, and even shared a meal with their fans.

Proceeds are going toward a new barn for the Cottonwood High School FFA.

"We've been trying to get an animal science program at the school, and we've got several parents who are interested in showing livestock but we can't do that if there's no place for it," said FFA advisor Rusty Yeomans.

For FFA member Hunter Cook, a barn will be a place to get hands-on experience and a head start on their career paths.

"When I grow up I want to be a zoologist so this would help me out a lot," said Cook. "At FFA we deal a lot with cattle, chickens and pigs, so I can pretty much go ahead and cross those off my list."

Another thing he can cross off his list: meeting the country's most famous alligator hunters, who are strong proponents of FFA.

"The FFA is very important because that's our future," said Troy Landry. "That's our young ones coming up and we gotta teach them the right way to do things, and teach them about farming and working and work ethic."

Cottonwood FFA is also working to raise money for an irrigation system in their on-campus greenhouse. The organization has been invited to run a booth at the national FFA Convention in October.

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